What’s the latest way to reach potential customers?

BY DAVE McMAHON

SENIOR EDITOR, Powersports Business

Based on the growth of smart phones, targeting potential customers and longstanding customers via their mobile device is an ideal starting point.

One surefire way to keep your dealership within a smart phone’s reach of your store is with a new product from Specialty Mobile Apps. The business, along with Cycle Chex, is owned by Sparta Specialty Reports Inc. SMA’s app engine enables dealers to communicate with existing and future customers in ways never considered.

Click here to download the FULL ARTICLE in PDF.

Dealers can use the app to promote sales and service, set maintenance appointments, send notices about special events and more. The fully customizable smart phone app allows dealers to show inventory, locations, news and virtually anything else that should get into a customer’s hand.

The cost for a dealership app is $1,995, with a $99 per month service fee. “This segment of our business started when we built an app for Cycle Chex,” said SMA executive vice president, marketing Jeffrey Dobish. “A dealer can have his own stand-alone app built by a company that builds generic apps for anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000 per platform — one for Apple, one for Android, one for Blackberry, etc.

“We’ve produced an app engine specifically built by dealers for the dealer industry. Instead of a dealer calling up a company that builds generic apps and then has to explain each one of the verticals, we’ve determined the top 20 to 30 different bells and whistles that need to be in a dealer app and combined them all and put them into an app engine.”

The app’s content management system, similar to a DMS, is the starting point for the dealer as he selects app options. And as Dobish, who has motorcycle dealership experience himself, says “Quite frankly, if you can upload a picture from your desktop, you’re what we call a Specialty Mobile App genius.” Dobish is already providing interested dealers with training sessions that show the various benefits of the app. And connecting in the cloud is only going to grow over coming years, he says.

“Our research shows that eighty six percent of all phones that are sold today are considered smart phones,” Dobish said. “If your phone has access to the Internet, it’s a smart phone. Android is growing at a rate of 886 percent per year.

There are 160,000 new Android smart phones being activated every day.” And although Specialty Apps will update the app with the latest technology, the dealer’s monthly fee will remain $99 per month. (“When the latest or greatest device or platform comes out that we haven’t even heard of yet, dealers will get it on their app,” Dobish said.)

“It’s the most cost-effective and easy-to-use customer engagement tool on the market today,” Dobish added. “From sales and service to parts and accessories to sending out messages about retail or events, it synergizes every segment of your dealership.” Its ease of use rates highly even with the technology-challeged.

“We’ve created something that’s turnkey for dealers,” said Tony Havens, president and CEO of Sparta Specialty Reports, Inc. “We’re uniquely positioned for the powersports dealer. The dealer can select which features to use on the app, from roadside assistance to new and preowned inventory.

“Trust me, if I can use it, it’s dummy-proof. It’s the most robust dealer app available, and I don’t see how anybody can beat it.” Dealership apps from SMA are already available for free on the iTunes app store. Adventure Harley-Davidson in Dover, Ohio, was one of the first apps created by SMA. The store promotes itself on its app as “a full service dealership
serving all your Ohio Harley motorcycle needs. We have assisted Harley enthusiasts and owners for more than 35 years. As an Ohio Harley-Davidson dealer, we have a huge selection of new and pre-owned bikes on display. We have over 38,500 sq. ft. of showroom, service and merchandise.”

The dealership’s website promotes the app with a link to it on the iTunes store. Big 4 Cycle & Marine in Evansville, Ind., promotes itself on its app as “a leading ATV, personal watercraft, motorcycles and scooters and outdoor equipment dealer in Evansville, Indiana.

Whether you’re looking for the latest new products from Aprilia, Can-Am, Piaggio, Sea-Doo, Suzuki, Triumph, Vespa, and KYMCO, or today’s best clothing and accessories – we’ve got it.” An image of the dealership, a map of the location, hours and contact info greet the user on the “store” page, which offer buttons for inventory selection.

Dealers can create promotions to increase floor traffic and use the app to reach their target market. Slow days can turn for the better when using the app for special sales. “A dealer could send a message to all of the app users that says ‘The first 10 customers to come in and show this message to us get a 10 percent discount on apparel,’ or something along those lines,” Dobish said. “It’s 10 people who might not have otherwise been in the dealership that day. You can push out as much data as you want to, for a single store or multiple stores.

Whatever you want to do to engage your customers, the app can do it more quickly and more cost effectively than any other way.” The Adventure Harley-Davidson app didn’t take long to go viral. Nearly 50 people had downloaded the app before it had been announced to the public. “As the owner told me, it went ‘through the roof’ upon release,” Dobish said. “Other dealers have looked into getting their own app done elsewhere, but then saw the pricing and turned to us, because it’s an app made for dealers by dealers. “Basically we’ve built the motor, and everyone can use the motor instead of having one built from scratch every time.”

Smartphone Applications Approach The 1 Million Milestone

The total number of mobile applications available across the top smartphone platforms in the world is now approaching the 1 million-app milestone.

This is further highlighting the rapid growth of the smartphone and tablet software market.

An average of 2,000 apps enter the marketplace each day (with numbers higher right now for the holiday rush). In the last 12 months, Apple apps grew from 338,000 to 589,148, and Android apps went from 115,000 to 319,774. Concurrently, according to mobile tracking firm Gartner, US sales of smartphones grow from 67 million in 2010 to 95 million in 2011.

That’s well over 260,000 smartphone purchases made every day!

In the early days of the app market, most of the apps were dedicated to games and entertainment. However, the nature of the app environment has changed quickly and dramatically – new apps are now designed to improve our lives, disseminate news, give us weather reports, and, perhaps most importantly, give us one of the best and most cost-efficient marketing tools to both new and returning customers!

With a custom designed Specialty Mobile App, your dealership will have a personal mobile application for your customers’ smartphones that will…

Do not be left behind in the fastest growing and most far-reaching market available today. Specialty Mobile Apps can have your dealership’s mobile application built and ready for your review in no time!

Register for one of our scheduled 20 minute no-obligation demos, or call (866) 537-7069 Ext-2 to speak with a representative and set up a demo at a time convenient for you.

Put your Dealership in the palms of all your customers today!

Consumers are flocking to mobile devices giving them access to the internet throughout their day.

Use mobile marketing to capture new customers!

Specialty Mobile Apps Engage Your Customers To Sell More Vehicles!

First thing… Create your own app.

Mobile Apps are easy for customers to download and use, and they allow you to advertise promotions or specials.  They make your brand more recognizable and increase traffic to your door.  Apps can vary wildly in scope and price so it’s always best to enlist a professional to develop the application for you.

Mobile Apps are easy for customers to download and use, and they allow you to advertise promotions or specials.  They make your brand more recognizable and increase traffic to your door.  Apps can vary wildly in scope and price so it’s always best to enlist a professional to develop the application for you.

Your custom mobile app can be used by your customers to conveniently and easily stay informed about sales and other special offers. This makes your dealership more visible and will improve your sales numbers. As we said, it is always a good idea to hire a professional to assist you in the development of your app.

Mobile Marketing for Dealerships

One of the keys to successful mobile marketing is to offer exclusive content, discounts, and other attractive offers to your mobile customers so they feel like they have an inside deal. Your customers want to feel special and they want to know that there was a good reason they signed up for your brand’s marketing, so give them something for it.

Offer your mobile marketing customers a little “red carpet treatment” to make them feel special. If you do this, they will spread the good word about you! The most effective measure of any campaign is sales, and providing your mobile customers with unique discounts will spur them to make purchases and exponentially promote your positive reputation.

Push Notifications can be a great way to notify customers of special limited-time discounts, new products, and other promotions.  In these cases, your mobile messages must be short and sweet or the customer will delete!  Customers do not want or have the time to scroll through lengthy messages. Keep them as brief and concise as possible to increase the chances of it being read and of customers purchasing your product.

With mobile marketing, there is no escape from the influence of a savvy dealer with desirable products. Hopefully using some of the tips in this article will enable you to embrace the mobile marketing process more fluidly.

There is no better way to reach those who are always on their mobile device than through mobile marketing.